Chapter 22: Arguments and Regrets

Later that day Atona woke up to Ambien in the chair rocking the babies and singing to them. She watched quietly not wanting to disturb them. His devotion to the babies was comforting to her. She couldn't imagine leaving and not letting him around those babies all the time. She knew he would be around them, because the only one leaving was her, even though she couldn't imagine leaving those helpless babies.

"Finally decide to join us in our day?" He said after noticing her watching him.

"Yes, have I slept the day away again?" She said sitting up in the bed.

"Not the whole day, I came up to lay with you and found these little darlings laying in the bed wide awake and looking around. So I picked them up and couldn't seem to let them go."

"They seem to really enjoy your company."

"Yes, however, I'm afraid I'm going to have to give them to you so I can get ready to leave tomorrow."

"Leave? Where are you going?"

"I'm going to escort your sister home. Father thinks I should go along and help with the trade negotiations. Jaden is going with me. I would like you to take these babies and go to stay with the dwarves while I'm gone."

"No. I'm not going to abandon your family if something goes wrong."

"Atona, I don't think your dream is just a dream. I have been having the same one. So has your friend Grayson."

"Ambien, I can take care of myself and these babies. I will be fine."

"Atona you are in no shape to swing a blade. Anyone could come in here and take these babes and you wouldn't be able to stop them."

"I'm not going."

"Stay here and I pray that nothing happens while I'm gone." He said handing the squirming babies over to her, and stormed to the door. "They attacked last time and you were here."

"Maybe I'm not just scared for the babies. I was sending Andrianna with you." He stated as he walked out the door.

"Ambien!" Atona called after him, but he didn't return just left her there with her thoughts. "Well, my dears it's time to get you both dressed and me as well. I guess it's time for us to join everyone else downstairs and find out what is going on." She said getting up from the bed, and going to the bureau to find their clothes. She got the babies dressed and then herself. She was standing looking at the babies trying to figure out how she was going to carry both of them down the stairs by herself when there was a knock on the door.

"Come on in." She said turning to the door.

"Your up and dressed. You must be getting ready for dinner." Rozella said coming into the room.

"Yes, I was coming down to join everyone else and find out what is going on. I hear you are leaving and Ambien and Jaden are going with you."

"I figured Ambien would tell you. Jaden is very upset, because Jeremiah doesn't want him to go along. He wants him to stay here with you." She said picking up the little boy.

"I can understand why Jaden would want to go home with you. He wants to go see his family. He misses his mother, and his brothers."

"Jaden said you wouldn't mind him going. He knows you better than we thought he did."

"When I was real sick after they found me, Jaden and I had some real long and personal talks."

"Atona you don't seem your normal happy self. What's the matter?"

"Well, Ambien is going with you, and he wants me to go stay with the Dwarves where we will be safer. I want to stay here with my friends and Momma. I don't want to abandon them when times are rough. Besides I don't think anything is going to happen while he is gone anyway."

"You know Ambien just wants you to be safe. He loves you and these babies so much. He doesn't want anything to happen to any of you."

"Yes but it feels like he's treating me like a child again. Remember when we were growing up. He would always send me off to the dwarves and you and momma off to town."

"Yes, I and mother would come back to find people injured and babies missing. We both knew you were safe because no one could get into the dwarven stronghold."

"Wait, you mean they were stealing babies even then?"

"Yes, Atona, you didn't know. Ambien and his family always sent us away to protect us."

"Why didn't I ever know about all this?"

"I always thought Ambien had told you. You two were always so close."

"No, he never told me. That does explain why he would want me and the babies to go to the dwarves now."

"Yes, you've always been safe there before. He really doesn't want to go with us you know. He has tried to get his father to send someone else. His father won't budge he thinks Ambien is the best choice for this agreement."

"He is the best choice. No one else has the same knowledge of the outer lands than Ambien. He left the village shortly after you did to learn the ways of the ranger. He would sneak back to the village once in a while to see me."

"So when everyone left you, you decided it was time for you to leave?"

"Yes, I had to get out of here. Ridale was pressuring me into an agreement I didn't really want. My brain said yes my heart said no, Ambien is the one you want to be with."

"Your heart won out. You left to get them both out of your head and heart."

"That's right. I left, only to end up back here where my heart has been ripped out, stomped on, and healed back together."

"Atona, I'm so sorry. I never should have left you."

"No, Rozella, you needed to go off to school and learn what you could. Look at the family you got now."

"You're right as usual. I have a great family, and everything I ever dreamed. We better get these little ones down stairs before they go to getting all fussy."

"You are absolutely right. I want to see everyone before they leave. I am so happy you got to be here with me for this great event."

"I'm glad I was here too. I enjoyed spending time with you. We will be together again soon. We will have to come back here for Jaden and Andrianna's wedding, and you and Ambien's."

"Wait, who said we were getting married?"

"Ambien."

"What?"

"He hasn't even asked the girl yet. How typical. Let's go downstairs. Maybe he will ask you there."

"Yeah, maybe." She said with a smile, and heading out into the hall carrying the little girl. She just had a feeling that things were changing so fast and she couldn't stop them once they all got started. She wanted to be Ambien's wife more than anything in the world. She had wanted that ever since they were kids. They had been in love with each other for as long as she could remember. She wasn't sure that she wanted that fairy tale anymore. Being married to Ambien would mean that she would have to stay here.

****

In the kitchen the staff were preparing a farewell feast. The hustle and bustle is just the activity that Silvia needed to slip away. She hadn't been able to sneak off to see Ridale, since the babies were born. He had no idea that he had twin children.

She arrived at his shop, entering through the back door so as not to be seen. She seen through the curtain, that separated the front of the store from the back, that he was with customers. She looked on his workbench at the jewelry he was piecing together. He really made some beautiful works. It was a shame that the elves he was selling them to, were the same ones the jewels were stolen from in the first place. He would get the fire tribe to steal the jewels, and he would make them into different pieces, and sell them back to them. Was really a clever scheme if she thought about it. If the elves ever found out though they would kill him. Not all the pieces were sold here though. He would take some of the finer gems and sell them in nearby markets.

Once the customers left, she whistled their special signa. He went to the door, and locked it. Coming into the back room, he asked, " What are you doing here? Did someone find out about us?"

"No, but your babies have been born." She said, twirling her hair around her finger.

"Babies?"

"Yes, the wench had twins. It's a really big deal, and now is the time to strike to get them. Everyone is leaving in the morning, Ambien and her other friends won't be there to protect her. Plus, she is weak from giving birth. I believe she will be going to the dwarves while everyone is gone. We must strike while she is traveling alone."

"Yes, seems like now would be a good time. In the morning slip this into some tea, I'm sure the Queen will ask you to make them a picnic. Once she drinks this she will be sleepy, and easier to fight. I will gather the boys, and we will go after her. I will take possession of the children."